Silver Snake
by Elfhelm
Summary: Severus adapts to a life in which he is not alone. (Sequel to Beginning to Rest. Slash: SS/AD. Complete.)


****

Silver Snake  
by Elfish Arrow

Severus Snape scowled in his semi-awakened state; it was far too bright, and annoying noises kept plaguing him. Someone was positively banging at his door. Grumbling, Snape pulled himself from the soft bed and stumbled across the threshold, glad that no one saw the current lack of liquid grace that he prided himself on, and wondering where that horrid singing was coming from, and who let the light into the dungeons.

He threw open the door and glared at whomever dared awaken him so early - Minerva. What did she want?

Minerva gaped at him wordlessly, she seemed to have forgotten why she had woken him in the first place.

Snape sighed irritably and ran a hand through his hair, "Well, woman, what do you want? I haven't all morning."

"S- Severus... I didn't expect you to be here..."

Why wouldn't he be here? Only a Gryffindor could visit someone with no clear purpose, and _not_ expect him to be there.

Snape said nothing, just looked at her with impatience.

McGonagall shoved a stack of parchment in his arms, still gaping, "I- I'm sorry, Severus. Give these to Albus." With that, the Gryffindor quickly fled.

Severus arched an eyebrow and slowly closed the door. Albus? What was that woman on about? It was then that Snape recognized the voice that was singing such an annoying song, accompanied by the familiar patter of water. Albus.

"Oh, bloody hell."

***

It wasn't a dream... No, had it been, he would not be wearing Albus's nightgown. Right. At least the glass bowl of sherbert lemons beside the bed made sense now.

Snape wasn't sure how long he was sitting against the door, but he was evidently lost in though, for the next thing he knew, Albus was kneeling beside him on the floor.

"Severus?"

Snape looked over to him, struggling to appear normal, "Albus."

The Headmaster smiled and helped him up, "What's wrong, Severus?"

"McGonagall was here... she wanted me to give those to you," he motioned to the stack of parchment beside him on the floor.

"Oh my. I suppose seeing you must have put the poor dear into shock... Severus, I'm sorry, if you would rather nothing come of last-"

"No!" Snape surprised himself with the force behind the word. "No... I wouldn't rather." Bringing himself to look at Albus, he was again surprised to find relief written in his features. "I was just a little surprised myself... what with McGonagall staring at me as if I had hugged Black."

When Severus had finally gotten himself dressed despite his injuries - which involved much cursing, and eventually required Dumbledore's help, Albus decided they may as well put in an appearance at breakfast to quell the students' fear of the attack before retiring for the day.

***

The Great Hall was as noisy and crowded that morning as it would have been on a weekday; the fear that emitted from the students sobered Albus to the present immediately. Though he would much rather have kept Severus in his rooms until the man was fully healed, he knew now that their presence was definitely needed to calm the staff and student body.

As soon as they entered, Albus noted the change in his Potion's Master; despite his injuries, Severus's steps quickened, his chin lifted, and an air of foreboding gathered around him. It would be impressive, really, if it didn't deeply sadden Dumbledore.

Albus smiled softly as Severus fell into step, behind, and slightly to the left of him. It was a habit the man had never really lost from his days protecting Riddle. When Severus first carried the habit over to _him_, Albus hadn't known what to think, but had since come to accept it as one of Severus's subtle gestures of loyalties - besides, any attempt at getting Snape to walk beside him ended in the Potion Master's apologies, and he'd only fall back into it a few days later.

They took their regular seats at the Head Table; Severus, blatantly ignoring the glares from some of the Death Eaters' children. Albus, acknowledging, but smiling towards the glaring Minerva.

"Albus Dumbledore!"

The Headmaster gulped and turned to face her, smiling, "Yes, Minerva?"

Luckily, however, she decided not to accost him in front of the school, and simply nodded her head toward the House Tables.

After casting a glance down the table (Severus was still busy trying to glare at the entire student body at once), Albus stood and cleared his throat.

"I'm sure you've all heard the rumours concerning Voldemort's latest move," all eyes turned toward him, "and I'd like to clear a few of them up. First, I assure you that Professor Snape is alive and well, as you can obviously see..."

Snape snarled something under his breath.

"...And that he is in no way aligned with the Dark Lord. You will find that neither myself, nor the rest of the staff will tolerate any gossip to the contrary. He is well protected, and I will allow no harm to come him." Here, Albus gave pointed looks to several older students.

"I want it clearly understood that you are all safe within these walls and grounds. Yes, Professor Snape did encounter Voldemort last night. These are dark times, and now, more than ever, the rules your professors impose must be followed. As long as we stand together and take the proper precautions, we've nothing to fear."

***

Albus Dumbledore was very tired of explaining the actual story to every professor and Order member who decided that they were not going to believe any version until they heard it from the Headmaster himself. So when the knock at his office door came, he was less than thrilled. Albus had sent Severus down to his rooms after the man threatened two Order members, growled profanities at an Auror, and snarled something about permission forms to Minerva. All in all, Severus was in pretty high spirits given the situation, but his injuries made him tired, and having a tired Severus Snape in the same room with Ministry Personnel was never a good idea.

Albus put on his very best twinkling smile and opened the door.

"Minerva! So nice of you to visit. Tea? Chocolate Frog? They're really quite good. No? How about this - Canary Cream? Word among Gryffindor House is that they're an acquired taste."

Dumbledore sat back in his chair while Minerva simply stood in the doorway, staring at him. "Minerva?"

McGonagall suddenly realized she was being spoken to, and shook her head, still not moving from the doorway.

"Is something bothering you?" Albus found her lack of motor skills quite amusing, and made no effort to hide it.

She continued to stare at him, "You slept with Severus."

"Shut the door, Minerva."

She did.

"How could you, Albus? After all he's been through... I know he's attractive, but _Merlin's beard_, that's the last thing he needs right now!"

Albus failed to hide a grin at the revelation that Minerva was attracted to, and very protective of Severus. It only seemed to fuel her rage.

"This isn't funny! And in his state!" She stalked across the office and sat herself in the chair by the Headmaster's desk. Albus found himself on the receiving end of one her stern glares, "Well? Aren't you going to say anything?"

Dumbledore looked up from unsticking two candies and offered her one, "Sherbert lemon?"

"Headmaster!"

He smiled again, "My dear Minerva, I dared to hope you knew me better than that."

Minerva's glare softened, "So, you didn't sleep with him?"

Attempting to wipe the chocolate off the corner of his Wizard Card, Albus sighed, "Albus Dumbledore. I've seventeen of myself, already." He offered the card to a very annoyed-looking Professor McGonagall, "Do you collect?"

She only just managed to growl out his name through clenched teeth, "Albus..."

"He slept beside me, if that's what you mean. Really, Minerva, this is Severus you're talking about. Has he ever failed to voice his opinions to any of the staff? If anything was unwanted, Severus would make sure it was known."

Minerva went back to staring wordlessly while Dumbledore trapped his second Chocolate Frog under a teacup.

"Ah, Cliodne. A fine example of an Animagus; transfigured herself into a wave, once, you know."

"Headmaster, I'm sorry," Minerva still looked shocked, but she was quickly regaining control.

"No need to apologize, Professor; you couldn't have known that I love him."

Dumbledore looked up from Cliodne's card just in time to see Minerva fall out of her chair. He really should remember to warn people about that chair - it never took shocking news very well.

When Minerva got back to her feet - and threw the chair a sharp glance - she all but hurled herself over Albus's desk in an attempt to hug him, "Oh, Albus, of course I had no idea! I just thought you were sleeping together!" She let him go and grinned in a very un-McGonagall fashion, "So, there is still hope for the race of Men, after all."

Between them, the teacup rattled against its saucer as the frog tried to escape.

Eyeing her oddly, Albus couldn't stop an amused smile, "And they say _I'm_ mad."

***

Severus strode into the Headmaster's office and sat down in a chair before the fire, scowling.

Albus smiled at him and offered the teacup that contained the now dormant Chocolate Frog, "Chocolate Frog? Minerva doesn't seem to like them."

Severus's scowl darkened, "Speaking of McGonagall, she tried to hug me, Albus. Hug me." He looked truly appalled at the mere thought.

Dumbledore chuckled and moved to sit in the chair beside him. "She hugged you? Hrm... yes, she probably did; she was very excited," he brushed some hair away from Severus's face. "Are you feeling any better?"

The younger man's face brightened considerably (that is, of course, in comparison to his usual sneer) as he caught Dumbledore's hand between his own, "I feel better than I have in very long time, Albus. Better than I fear I'm allowed."

Albus pulled Severus onto his lap, arms naturally encircling his thin waist, "Severus, any debts you had have been repaid tenfold; you can move past it, now."

With an indefinite nod, Severus placed a light kiss on the side of Albus's neck, grateful for the close contact he hadn't had in years.

"Albus? Is this for good?"

Dumbledore smiled softly as Severus rested his head against his shoulder; how he could hide his insecurities so well was beyond him. Tracing a path along the back of Snape's neck, he spoke quietly, "Severus, I've loved you longer than you know; there's no one else I could imagine or desire to be with. So, yes, I'd like this to be "for good" - if you'll have me."

Snape snorted shortly and wrapped his own arms around Albus, "Of course I will... mad old fool."

***

"Honestly, Potter, even a Mudblood can cut snake tongues better you."

The annoying drawl of Draco Malfoy carried across the dungeon after the tongue Potter was supposed to be dicing slipped out from under the blade, and hit Granger in the forehead with a loud smack. Snape ground his teeth together.

"You've a big mouth for someone who's father is in Azkaban, Malfoy!" Potter spit back.

Severus let out a sigh and dropped a heavy book onto his desk, causing the class to startle and shut up. "Perhaps," he began in a deathly quiet whisper, "you two ought to wait until _after class_ to commence these... mating rituals of yours. I am quite sure I'm not the only one who has tired of your pathetic, juvenile little games."

An uncomfortable silence engulfed the class as the students stared at their professor in shock. No one dared to speak, let alone breathe.

"Ten points from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy."

Now _that_ felt good.

Both Slytherin and Gryffindor students managed to appear even more stunned than they had previously, and as much as Snape was enjoying this, he had an image to maintain. He stood abruptly, a sudden gust of wind causing his robes to billow out behind him.

"And fifteen points from Gryffindor. Class dismissed."

He smiled to himself and leaned against the edge of his desk as the students gathered their things, and ran from the classroom, nearly knocking over the Headmaster in their rush. Wait, Headmaster? Snape arched an eyebrow and neatly folded his arms across his chest; Albus was standing in the doorway to the class, eyes twinkling in mirth.

When the incompetent, ungrateful little gremlins (as Snape was wont to call them) were gone, he spoke up. "Thank you for the special effects, Headmaster."

Albus smiled, shut the door, and went to stand next to Severus, "It was quite impressive, wasn't it?"

Snape grinned back and tugged the Headmaster toward him by his robes, draping his arms over the older man's shoulders, "Impressive enough to be a Slytherin."

Dumbledore's laugh caught him off-guard, "My dear Severus, I was a Slytherin!"

Snape blinked. He blinked again, shook his head, and muttered something about how he should have known.

Albus smiled again at the Potions Master and cut short his mutterings with a quick kiss. Snape indeed shut up, but did not so readily let go of him, instead, he leaned closer and kissed him again, slower this time, and Albus held him closer.

Severus was about to suggest they retire when Harry Potter burst into the room, looking as though he had run all the way from Gryffindor tower.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but I forgot my Potions textbook, and-" the boy dropped off immediately upon seeing the two.

Severus groaned and dropped his forehead onto the Headmaster's shoulder, closing his eyes. Of all people to walk through the door, it _had_ to be the bloody Boy-Who-Lived. He attempted to step away from Albus, but the man's arms only tightened.

Albus smiled kindly at the Potter boy, "Harry, child, would you mind waiting for me in my office? The password's "chocolate mousse", I'll be up to speak with you in a moment."

A shocked and bewildered Harry nodded dumbly and started back for the door without his Potions book, "Yes, Headmaster..."

Severus looked up in time to catch Potter almost _smile_ at him; Snape's glare was murderous.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor for entering a room without knocking," he hissed.

  
**_~fin_**

Feedback is appreciated, thanks.


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